[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 13]
[Senate]
[Pages 19483-19484]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                          BANGLADESH ELECTIONS

  Mr. DURBIN. Madam President, last week Senators Enzi, Murphy and I 
introduced a resolution on the political tensions in Bangladesh as that 
country prepares for a national election on January 5.
  Since then, Senators Boxer, Boozman, Shaheen, Kaine, Blunt, and 
Menendez have also cosponsored and yesterday the Senate Foreign 
Relations Committee voted unanimously in support of the measure.
  The resolution calls for peaceful political dialogue between the 
country's various political factions in the hopes that the election 
will go forward in a credible and peaceful manner.
  With so much else going on in the world from Ukraine to Iran, one 
might wonder why focus on elections in Bangladesh?
  My interest is in part due to the role of Nobel Prize, Presidential 
Medal of Freedom, and Congressional Gold Medal winner Professor 
Mohammad Yunus, whom many may know from his pioneering work to help the 
world's poor through microfinance programs.
  Professor Yunus has done so much to help the poor of Bangladesh and 
the

[[Page 19484]]

world, particularly poor women, that former Senator Bob Bennett and I, 
as well as Congressman Rush Holt, led an effort several years ago to 
award him the Congressional Gold Medal. That bill passed both chambers 
of Congress in 2010, and earlier this year we gave him this award in 
the Capitol Rotunda.
  It was a deeply moving event.
  Sadly--and almost inexplicably--during the same period that 
Bangladesh was in such an international spotlight, its government 
pursued a mean-spirited and bewildering effort to undermine the Grameen 
Bank's independence and remove Professor Yunus from his leadership 
role.
  I and others wrote repeatedly to Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh 
Hasina urging her to not take such destructive and counterproductive 
measures.
  Last year, Senator Boxer led a letter with all 17 women of the Senate 
to Hasina that called on the Bangladeshi government to stop interfering 
in the management of Grameen Bank.
  Those Senators pointed out that its 8.3 million borrowers are mostly 
women who gain financial independence and help support their families 
through its important programs.
  I am sorry to report that the Government of Bangladesh ignored all 
such calls and just last month essentially imposed state control over 
the bank.
  Yunus responded by saying, ``Grameen Bank was created as a bank owned 
by poor women, and managed by poor women. Its legal structure did not 
allow any government interference of any kind, except for regulatory 
oversight.'' The government-imposed changes, ``fundamentally changing 
the character of the bank. With these amendments, the government has 
opened the door for its ultimate destruction. What a shame for the 
nation, and the whole world!''
  So understandably this Senate resolution calls on the government of 
Bangladesh to restore the independence of the Grameen Bank.
  There is more at stake in Bangladesh that should be of concern to the 
United States and the world.
  You see, Bangladesh is a relatively stable, moderate, Muslim 
democracy with the world's seventh largest population and the world's 
fourth largest Muslim population.
  And despite many difficult years since its independence from Pakistan 
in 1971, it has often stood out as an example of a moderate and diverse 
Muslim democracy--one that deserves the world's attention and support.
  Yet, tragically, as Bangladesh nears another national election, it 
has experienced considerable political unrest with hundreds perishing 
in violent clashes.
  The country's opposition coalition has called for numerous nationwide 
strikes and transportation blockades, resulting in further violence, 
instability, and the disruption of students' abilities to attend 
school.
  Last week United Nations Assistant Secretary General Oscar Fernandez 
Taranco visited Bangladesh to try and foster political dialogue between 
Bangladesh's political parties and leaders to bring a halt to the 
violence and allow for a credible and peaceful election period.
  His efforts are to be supported, and this resolution reaffirms his 
call for peaceful political dialogue.
  The squabbles between Bangladesh's political parties distract from 
the real progress that has been made--and should continue to be made--
in alleviating the country's widespread poverty.
  For example, between 2005 and 2010 Bangladesh reduced its poverty 
rate from 40 to 31 percent of the population.
  This is where the country's political leadership should continue to 
focus, not on perpetuating personal animosity between the two main 
political parties.
  So our resolution states the obvious:
  It condemns the political violence,
  It urges the country's political leaders to engage directly in a 
dialogue toward free, fair, and credible elections; it expresses great 
concern about the country's political deadlock that distracts from so 
many other pressing problems; and it urges the Government of Bangladesh 
to ensure judicial independence, end harassment of human rights 
activists, and restore the independence of the Grameen Bank.
  The United States relationship with Bangladesh is strong and includes 
considerable trade and cooperation on such issues as counterterrorism, 
counter-piracy, food security, and regional stability.
  Peaceful democratic elections and greater respect for the Grameen 
Bank will only further those ties.
  I urge the full Senate to pass this resolution before we adjourn.

                          ____________________